WINDING RIVER BLACK AND WHITE AND BOLD ALL OVER!

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Maria

It’s time to think spring and though the weather isn’t showing it, the stores are blooming with Spring in every area.  American designers are showing off graphic designs and bright colors.  Black and white graphics are being featured the most prominently and we want to show you how we’re keeping with the trend.

Twigs Pattern

Our small Twigs Pattern is shown here on the dark side for fall and on the light side for spring and summer.  It’s available in our signature, five button jacket or in the angle jacket that’s pictured on the dark side.

Cracked Ice Pattern 

Bold yet conservative enough to be worn anywhere and in any season, this soft fabric is one of our new constructions and is as comfortable as a sweater!

Pinnacle Pattern

This is the Boldest of all our patterns and bold patterns are popular right now.  Maybe it’s because they look beautiful on any kind of figure.  Our Winding River signature jacket is relaxed enough to be worn with jeans but can also be worn with a dressy pair of black pants.  The weight of this fabric and its reversibility, make it possible to be worn all year long!

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My light weight reversible jackets work in Florida!

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Maria

Winding River came out with their first catalog in April.  We want to update it for the next issue.

My daughter in law was kind enough to help me.

Mandy’s wearing our angle lapel jacket.

I have on our pocket jacket.

Dark side of above jackets.

Same jackets, light side!

Our zipper jacket on dark side.

Slimming and I love it!

Our signature jacket, light side.

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The Zipper Jacket that gives shape

Posted on June 4, 2012 by Maria

The jacket is my favorite wardrobe piece, so I make it a priority to find pieces that will give me shape, especially in the middle.  I’ve noticed that my waist is the part that is the hardest for me to keep slim, no matter how much I work out or how little I eat.

I have found that I feel most comfortable in my zipper jackets.  These have a beautiful silhouette even on the hanger.  When I put one on, I suddenly feel pulled in and together.

There are some designers who feel a flowing look can hide a thickening middle, and it does!  But this look also hides all the curvy parts of your body too.  And honestly, being only 5’ 2”, I can suddenly take on the look of  a walking triangle with this concept.

Curves are important to show off.  The defined look of a well cut zipper jacket will pull in your middle while accenting your lovely curves.

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Loving Layers

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Maria

One thing I’ve learned in my years of traveling is that you can never really predict how warm or cold you will be.  But I have a solution: layers!  I love packing sleeveless tops, no matter what the season.   If it’s winter and I’m going to Denver, I pack sleeveless tops, a sweater to go over that and finally the jacket for the third layer.

I love our reversible jackets because I can switch from casual to dressy with only one piece to pack.  And sometimes I’ll wear this same jacket on the plane going to and coming from my destination.  OK, depending on how long the trip is, this plan can be boring and sometimes packing  a non-reversible cardigan or another reversible jacket can be a nice alternative for a third layer.

This routine can also work for a summer vacation say to Bermuda.  I pack the sleeveless top or  tee and bring the jacket.  There’s no need for that middle sweater layer unless it’s cotton.  But a jacket or sweater will always be necessary when dealing with air conditioning.

This plan takes a lot of stress out of packing.  Just think about the 3 top layers for your trip, and the rest is fairly rote.  Whatever you pack for the bottom (pants, a dress or shorts), the right tops can determine the look and comfort that you need.


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Why I love jackets

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Maria

I love jackets.  I love the idea that I can throw on a basic black top over jeans and then top the whole thing off with a jacket.  Suddenly I’m dressed up, or at least a little more put together.

I think most women are like me.  We’re busy with jobs and family.  We have hardly enough time to feed ourselves, let alone spend hours shopping or planning what we should wear each day.

A jacket can keep us warm in the winter and in air conditioning.  A jacket can be rolled up and thrown in a brief case or handbag.  A reversible jacket can save us space in our suitcases when we’re traveling and time when we have to dress for multiple occasions.

So here’s to all you busy women out there who want to look like you spend hours putting yourselves together but have other things that have to be done first.  Maybe, with a few Jackets in your closet, you can have time to grab a pedi or a massage or maybe even some lunch.

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HELP! I’M ON VACATION IN FLORIDA AND I’M FREEZING!

Posted on March 24, 2012 by Maria

Seriously!  This is not the place to be for a Northeasterner whose eternal quest is to be warm.  The air conditioning is insufferable!  It seems different than the air conditioning in the Northeast.  Here it blasts hard and direct and only on me.  That’s what it seems, at least.  It’s like I’m always sitting just where the cold blast is directed.  And it’s either only on my face or my shoulders or my lap.  I know it’s only on me because I look around and everybody else seems comfortable.  But when I change my seat, it’s as if  it follows me and only me.

You know I’m only kidding, but it is a continous problem for me down here.  I know other people must have the same complaint.  So why is it so difficult to find jackets and sweaters here?  If you’re cold, you can find a sweatshirt anywhere.  It usually says, “Disney”, or “I love Florida”, or  well, you know what I’m saying.  But what about those of us who like going to nice places but don’t want to broadcast to the world where we’ve been the day or the week or the year before.

Here’s where I want to praise all the wonderful boutiques, like Brigadoon’s in Naples, who cater to me and all the women like me, who are freezing in Florida.  There’s Peach Republic in Sanibel and Gallery Five in Tequesta.  There’s Beth’s Boutique in Pompano Beach and Vero Beach Museum of Art.  There’s  Giving Tree Wood Gallery and also Key Casuals, both in Sarasota. 

All these stores sell hundreds of beautiful women’s jackets because they all seem to know a very well kept secret.  IT’S COLD IN FLORIDA!

If you want to know of a few more stores down here that sell clothing with the typical woman in mind, please write me.  And if you know of any more boutiques that understand us, well please tell me because I’m back in my hotel room thawing out.   Tonight I’m going to have to go to dinner somewhere and you know the AC is going to be directed at me and only me!

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Choosing Colors to Wear Under Jackets

Posted on March 24, 2012 by Maria

Recently a customer wrote to me asking about what to wear with her four jackets she owned.  She said she wanted something other than black or white to wear underneath her jackets.  This made me realize that black is the only color I wear under my own jackets.  In fact, this is why I love jackets so much.  I wear jeans and a black top, or khakis and a black top, or black pants with a black top.  I put my beautiful, colorful jacket over my outfit and it brightens me right up.

 

My knee jerk reaction when this customer asked me about what other colors she could wear was, “What’s wrong with black?”.  Now I realize that’s really sad!  Didn’t I just speak to a store owner who told me she paired up one of her purple jackets with a lime top?  She said it looked fantastic, and her customers were responding to it.  And brights are in this spring.

 

The funny thing is, when  stores start showing particular colors for a season, our mind becomes accustomed to seeing them and suddenly they become almost like new basics.  I can’t think of a color that lime doesn’t go with.  But a few years ago, lime was exotic.

 

I think this customer was stuck in thinking she had to pick up one of the colors in the jacket and match it perfectly.  But sometimes this gives us a matchy match look that isn’t necessary.  Picking up a shade of one of the colors in her jacket could look beautiful.

 

The next time I’m shopping, I’m going to find a top with a new color that looks good on me.  And it’s not going to be black!

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Interesting problem/solution for our customers

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Maria

Referral: I’m a previous customer

Comments: I have purchased four of your reversible jackets. My problem is trying to find tops other than black and maybe white that would complement each. Any suggestions?

Sincerely,

Bonney

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Hello Bonney,

You want to wear a top that matches the color of your jacket and I agree that this could be a challenge.  I have to admit that I wear black under the jackets I wear.  But I would ask the shop owners to help.  I was speaking to a store owner in Michigan this week, and she was so excited because she had one  of our purple jackets hanging with one of the lime tops in the store and was getting good customer reaction. It’s nice to shop in boutiques because you can get a lot of help from the owners and assistants.  This is what I would suggest.  They can be very creative.  I know that lime goes with a lot of our jackets.  Gray can work too.  I don’t know which jackets you own but I suggest you go back to the stores to get help, or maybe you could tell me what patterns you own and I’ll try to help.

In the meanwhile, enjoy your jackets with your black tops.  I’m sure you look great! Thank you for being such a good Winding River customer.

Sincerely,

Maria Reisman  (owner)

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A TRAVEL JACKET FOR THE BUSINESS WOMAN

Posted on November 28, 2011 by Maria

The minute I see a magazine article that touts the beauty of making a million outfits out of one article of clothing, well I’m interested. I even wrote one of those articles in my first blog. And it sounded so easy in theory.

And while I can say that creating these  outfits out of one jacket is really easy, photographing them was a totally different story.  I kept dropping my camera, once while struggling to remove it from its tripod, and then again because it wasn’t on the tripod.

But it is true. You can make lots of outfits from one piece of clothing. I made ten outfits from matching up my one reversible jacket with six other articles of clothing. This goes to show when you travel, you can save space by planning ahead with a single jacket.

Here’s the recipe.

MONDAY TRAVEL DAY:  (Begin with one reversible jacket on yellow side.  Add white blouse and black shorts.)

MONDAY NIGHT DINNER:  (Take same jacket on same side.  Switch blouse and shorts to LBD.  Add pearls)

TUESDAY MEETING:  (Take same jacket on yellow side.  Add white blouse and black skirt.)

TUESDAY NIGHT DINNER:  (Switch  same jacket to black side.  Add heals)

WEDNESDAY TOUR DAY:  (Take same jacket on yellow side.  Add white blouse and white pants.)

WEDNESDAY NIGHT DINNER:  (Take same jacket and switch to black side.   Switch blouse and shorts to one LBD)

THURSDAY MEETING:  (Take same jacket on black side. Add black blouse and black shorts.)

THURSDAY NIGHT DINNER:  (Take same jacket on black side.  Switch black shorts to black skirt.)

FRIDAY TRAVEL DAY:  (Take same jacket on yellow side.  Add black blouse and black shorts.)

FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER:  (Take same jacket on yellow side. Switch black shorts to black skirt.  Add heals.)

I used seven items of clothing to make ten outfits, which certainly keeps baggage fees down.  (One jacket, two pairs of shorts, two blouses, one skirt and one black dress.)

I think it works for most business trips. Let me know your travel ideas.

Bon voyage!

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FASHION LESSONS FROM HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Maria

I had a fashion epiphany from high school girls this week. And no, I’m not going to start wearing mini skirts and tight sweaters. I’m not aiming to look like a high school kid, but they do know how to dress.

Let me explain. I was setting up for a show and there were high school girls all over the place and they all looked so tasteful and nice. I mentioned this to one of the mothers and she said that they were wearing dress code and uniforms. And then I saw it! They definitely were wearing dress code. Khaki pants or skirts and white shirts. But it was the accessories I was seeing! I mean, the cutest pumps and moccasins and loafers. Fishnet or lace or striped stockings. Beautiful bags. Stylish, yet conservative jewelry.

And I realized something I had been thinking all along but never saw so glaringly. Accessories are the paint on the pallet. The main outfit can be inexpensive and plain. But you dress it up with stockings or shoes and you have a smashing outfit! You can even carry the same beautiful handbag every day. Accessories don’t have to be excessive. You don’t have to wear a different pair of shoes every day. But if they’re beautiful and fashionable, they make the outfit. And now jackets and sweaters and scarves have become major fashion accessories. They can also be worn more than once a week and if it’s a reversible jacket, well nobody has to even know!

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